


What You Don't Know

by SomewhereFlying



Series: Two Lies and a Truth [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Denial of Feelings, Goro Attends Shujin, Kissing as a Distraction, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 17:06:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16496699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomewhereFlying/pseuds/SomewhereFlying
Summary: Akira was supposed to be keeping his nose down during his probation at Shujin, but sometimes things don’t work out the way you expect. Sometimes you befriend the other misfits in school and start working to expose an abusive teacher for the scum that he is. Hey, it couldn’t be helped - these things happen.Sometimes you have to distract the student council vice president by making out with him.These things happen.ShuAke Confidant Week Day 5:Blackmail|Exposure|Trickery





	What You Don't Know

* * *

 

Akira had been branded a troublemaker from the moment he transferred to Shujin, but as he dropped to his knees in front of Kamoshida’s office, a thin silvery lockpick already in hand, he mused that this was probably the first _really_ criminal act he had committed… possibly ever. He was sure his parents would be furious if they could see him now, if they knew who he’d chosen to befriend and where it would lead him – and less than a year into his probation, too.

Ann and Ryuji flanked him on either side, carefully hiding him from any passersby as he searched for just the right spot to coax the door open. Not that anyone should have been wandering around the practice building at this time of day – the only students still hanging around were those who belonged to clubs, and with the sports teams all either crammed into the gym or out on the fields, the halls were completely deserted.

Still, they didn’t have much time.

It took half a minute for Akira to pick the lock, which was astoundingly unsophisticated for a teacher’s office; once he knew he’d succeeded, he pushed on the door with two fingers and watched it swing open on silent hinges. Above him, Ann gave a low whistle.

“That’s _insane!_ ” she said in the most excited whisper she could manage. “You’re gonna teach me how to do that sometime, right?”

“Name a time and place,” Akira replied as he got to his feet, “and I’ll send you my rates.”

Ann punched him lightly in the arm. “You’re gonna charge me? See if I ever help you with your English homework again.”

It was, uncharacteristically, Ryuji who snapped the two of them back to attention.

“Guys, we ain’t got time for this,” he said, pushing his way past them both to sneak into Kamoshida’s now-open office. “We can negotiate Akira’s prices later, okay?”

“Right, right. Get to work, you two,” Akira said, stepping aside and holding the door open for Ann, who gave a playful curtsy before hurrying after Ryuji, leaving Akira to guard the door. He didn’t mind playing lookout – this was really Ann and Ryuji’s battle. After all, they were the ones who had spent so long tolerating Kamoshida’s gross misuse of power around Shujin; Akira was just the excuse they both had needed to finally act. His skills with a lockpick were simply a lucky bonus.

Every minute that passed felt like an eternity, and Akira had to physically restrain himself from bouncing on his heel with nervous energy. He kept the door mostly cracked, open just enough that he could see down the hall – the gym door was in a blind spot, but he hoped that with volleyball practice well underway, it wouldn’t be something to worry about. Indeed, things seemed to be going perfectly smoothly until a subtle movement at the end of the hall caught Akira’s attention.

“Shit,” Akira hissed.

“Oh fuck, what?” Ryuji asked, too-loudly, from inside.

“Someone’s here,” Akira muttered, never taking his eyes from the lone figure standing in the stairwell. Maybe, if he was lucky, it would turn out to be nothing more than a poor, lost student, who would turn around once they realized they were in the wrong place… but Akira had never been lucky.

“It’s the vice president,” Akira informed his cohorts.

“ _Fuck._ ”

Akira heard something hit the floor.

“Geez, Ryuji! Butterfingers,” Ann scolded him. “Anyway, it could be worse… it could be Niijima-senpai.”

“Yeah, or it could be _both_ of them,” Ryuji said.

Akira had to concede Ryuji’s point: it was far easier to deal with one student council officer than both of them. When they were together, President Makoto Niijima and her second-in-command Goro Akechi were a force to be reckoned with, and while they were a frighteningly efficient duo, Akira often got the feeling that they didn’t even _like_ each other. At Shujin, Makoto’s academic skills were rivaled only by Akechi, and the two of them vied for the top spot in the class rankings every semester with a rivalry that bordered on outright hatred. But when it came to student council, none of that seemed to matter: their zest for an orderly student body was strong enough to overcome any personal hang-ups.

“Is he coming this way?” Ryuji asked.

“I can’t tell, but yeah, I think so,” Akira said.

“We’re practically done,” Ann said, coming close to the door so she could speak quietly with Akira. “I found something good on his computer and there’re just a few more places I want to check…”

“Then I’m going to distract him,” Akira announced, stepping away from his post at the door. Ann might have whispered something after him, but he was already walking away, heading down the hall with a casual gait. The need for a door guard was minimal at this point, and volleyball practice would be ending soon, anyway, but if any of them were seen leaving Kamoshida’s office, _that_ would certainly cause a problem. Better, then, for Akira to head off Akechi now…

But Akechi was smart. If Akira pushed too hard trying to get him to leave, he would certainly suspect something. All Akira really needed to do was buy enough time so that Ann and Ryuji would be able to slip away undetected… and he had a few ideas about how he could accomplish that.

One in particular stood out. It was risky, and probably immensely stupid, but even if it went terribly awry, it would still take Akechi away from the practice building – and away from Ann and Ryuji – so he decided to go for it.

That he found Akechi to be rather handsome was inconsequential to his plan, really.

“Kurusu-kun? What are you doing here?” Akechi’s voice was all business as he fixed Akira with an unyielding stare. With as much trouble as Akira had caused since his transfer to Shujin, it wasn’t terribly surprising that Akechi, who was a year his senior, knew him by name. “It’s well past the end of school, and I know for a fact you aren’t a part of any clubs.”

“I… was staying late to ask Kawakami-sensei a question,” Akira said, letting his voice come out a little shaky. He already knew Akechi wouldn’t fall for such a transparent lie, so he might as well really lean into it.

“In the practice building? Please,” Akechi scoffed, barely containing a sneer as he strode forward, stopping in front of Akira and crossing his arms. “Now, tell me. Do I need to write you up? …you’ve been rather well-behaved as of late, you know. I’d hate for you to ruin that streak.”

“Okay, you caught me. Actually,” Akira paused to affect a nervous disposition, adjusting his glasses and refusing to meet Akechi’s eye, “I was here looking for you, senpai.”

Akechi stared at him.

“Really.”

“Really,” Akira said. He got a bit closer, and Akechi stepped to the side, mirroring his movements in reverse. Akira used that to his advantage, guiding Akechi around until he was backing up against the wall outside the biology room.

“And for what reason did you wish to see me?” Akechi asked. His eyes flicked away briefly as he seemed to notice what Akira had done, but he didn’t say anything, and he didn’t back down.

Akira let out a nervous chuckle. “It’s sort of hard to say…”

“Try me,” Akechi said flatly.

They were barely a foot apart, practically touching now, and Akira felt almost giddy; he never got to have this much fun at school.

“I don’t act out for just any reason, you know,” Akira said.

“Is that so?” Akechi asked.

“It is,” Akira said. He could see Akechi’s confidence slowly dripping away as he reached out and pressed his palm flat against the wall, leaning even further into Akechi’s personal space. “It’s hard to get your attention, senpai… it feels like we never get to talk unless you’re telling me off.”

Akechi closed his eyes and for a long moment, said nothing. 

“…is that really what this is about?” he asked.

Akira hummed in affirmation. The best lies had a seed of truth to them, right?

“You couldn’t have thought of any other way to get my attention.”

“Oh, I’ve thought of one,” Akira said, and he knew the smirk on his face was growing. “I don’t know if you’ll approve, though.”

“Anything would be better than the stunts you’ve pulled this year, Kurusu,” Akechi said.

Akira wanted to cheer; he couldn’t have asked for a better set-up than that.

“Tell me what you think about this, then,” he murmured, cupping Akechi’s face with his free hand and smoothing a thumb over his cheek. Akechi’s eyes grew wide, his retort suddenly stuck in his throat, leaving him mute.

 _How cute,_ Akira thought, and he finally leaned in those last few inches.

For a moment, it seemed as though Akechi was in shock; neither of them moved and Akira did little more than simply rest his lips against Akechi’s mouth, but then Akechi took hold of Akira’s jacket lapel and pulled him closer, leaning into the kiss.

Internally, Akira was screaming. He had imagined a couple of different ways his little plan could unfold: maybe Akechi would be scandalized and drag Akira off to the principal’s office, which would at least get him away from Ryuji and Ann – Akira could deal with a scolding if it meant his cohorts went free – or maybe he’d get pissed, or maybe he wouldn’t react at all. Out of all the possibilities Akira had imagined, the one thing that had never even crossed his mind was that Akechi would kiss him back.

That said, this was easily his new best-case scenario. It was like a dream; Akira could hardly have imagined he would _ever_ get to know the things he was learning about Akechi now – like that his lips were so soft and warm while his nose was surprisingly cold; or that he smelled so clean, and just a little sweet; or that he could make such a cute sound, halfway between a gasp and a whine, when Akira finally broke their kiss.

“Hey, senpai… you seem like you’re kinda into this,” Akira whispered. He curled a tuft of Akechi’s hair around his index finger and smirked. “Does President Niijima know you’ve got a thing for bad boys?”

“T-that’s not…” Akechi protested weakly, his gaze drifting down to Akira’s mouth before hastily snapping back to attention.

“Actually, I hope she doesn’t,” Akira said. He nuzzled against Akechi’s cheek, just grazing his lips over his jawline. “I don’t think I want anyone else to know this about you… what do you say? I’m pretty good at keeping a secret, if you can believe it.”

“Hm… I have no doubt you keep a great deal of secrets, Kurusu,” Akechi said. He slid one hand along Akira’s chest, over his shoulder, and up to curl gently around his neck, while Akira moved to capture his lips again, an action Akechi seemed eager to accept.

How much time had passed? Akira had lost track; it didn’t seem quite so important now, not when he had Akechi pinned against the wall and making such sweet noises for him. Surely no one could argue that he was anything but thoroughly distracted.

It was mere seconds later that a door slammed shut, reverberating with the intensity of an air horn in the otherwise-silent hall, followed by the sound of footsteps running heavily behind them. Someone gave them a loud wolf whistle as they passed – a voice Akira immediately recognized as belonging to Ann – and the cacophony was enough to wake Akechi from his trance. His eyes flew open and he immediately shoved Akira away, springing off the wall and whipping his head to the side, scanning the halls… but Ann and Ryuji were already long gone. The hallway was deserted.

“What– _who–?_ ” Akechi stammered.

“I doubt they recognized you, if it’s any consolation,” Akira said.

“That’s–!” Akechi’s cheeks were nicely pinked, and he began to aggressively brush invisible wrinkles out of his jacket. Suddenly, he was unable to look Akira’s way. “J-just get out of here, Kurusu,” he muttered, pushing past him and taking off briskly down the hall.

Akira watched him for as long as he could, until Akechi had disappeared down the stairwell to the bottom floor and Akira had received a text, which confirmed Ryuji and Ann’s successful escape:

 **> >Ann:** We’re in the clear!  
**> >Ann:** Heading to Shibuya now.  
**> >Ann:** Way to go, Akira!! (￣∀￣)

Akira was sure he had a dopey grin on his face, but the hall was still empty, so he didn’t bother to hide it.

 

* * *

 

While Akira knew Ryuji and Ann had been as stealthy as possible, over the next few days it became obvious that Kamoshida noticed someone had been in his office. He didn’t know who, and he didn’t know when, but he _knew_ , and it had him on high alert. And if Kamoshida was on high alert, the rest of the school was, too.

But Ann and Ryuji didn’t let that discourage them; if anything, they now pursued Kamoshida with a renewed vigor. They didn’t find much in Kamoshida’s office – he was good at covering his tracks – but the small amount they _had_ found spurred them on, which was why today they were staying late, sneaking up to the third floor in hopes of catching a few of the first-year volleyball team members before they left for the day.

“Ah fuck, is he still here?” Ryuji hissed.

On their way to the first-year homerooms, they happened to walk past the student council room, which was the cause of Ryuji’s outburst. Akira peered in through the window, and noticed that the room was empty – save for one Goro Akechi, who was standing behind a desk and staring intently at his phone, his jaw set in a hard line.

“There was a student council meeting today,” Ann said, and an impish grin came to her face. “Hey, Akira… why don’t you go _distract_ him again?” she suggested, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow.

It was late in the day, and the sun cast long, orange shadows across the room that caught on Akechi’s honey-brown hair and made him look radiant.

It was a _very_ tempting sight.

“Do you want me to? Because I will,” Akira told them.

Ryuji groaned. “Look, we’re just gonna go talk with some of the first years… that’s not against the rules. What’s he gonna do, suspend us for tryin’ to make friends?”

“Still, better safe than sorry,” Akira said. He waved them away. “Go on, get going. I’ll take care of this.”

Ann laughed while Ryuji just sighed, but both of them continued on their way down the hall in pursuit of a few straggling first-year volleyball players. Akira waited until they were a good distance away before opening the door and slipping into the student council room. The classroom door made an astonishingly loud noise when it closed, so loud that Akechi jumped in place, and Akira could help but grin; between this and the other day, he was starting to build a pretty good case that Akechi was easily flustered.

“Wha—Kurusu!” Akechi yelped, frantically stowing his phone in his pocket and looking around the room. His face fell. “Oh, the others…”

“Gone. The meeting’s over,” Akira said. He wound his way in between the empty desks like a cat, stopping when he was at Akechi’s side. “Were you distracted, senpai?”

“That’s… none of your concern,” Akechi said, shaking his head. “Actually, what are you even doing here?”

Akira lowered his voice and asked, “What do you think?”

Realization dawned on Akechi’s face and he looked down, playing with the cuff of his jacket sleeve. “…you’re serious,” he said. “I thought you were just trying to get a rise out of me.”

“I am trying to get a _certain_ kind of rise out of you,” Akira said, and he allowed himself to lean in a little closer. “Is it working?”

Akechi gave a pained sigh. “Kurusu, I don’t… surely there’s someone else—“

Akira didn’t let him finished that sentence. “Hey. If you’re telling me to back off, then I’ll leave,” he said. “But,” he added, taking Akechi’s hand from where he was toying with his jacket and lacing their fingers together, “I think you like this.”

He held his breath and waited for Akechi to make a move. Akira really was pushing his luck, but the Akechi he had seen the other day in the practice building was so unexpected… who could blame him for wanting to see more?

When Akechi finally caught Akira’s eye again, he was wearing a smile with the hint of an edge. Excitement bubbled up in Akira’s chest. It seemed Akechi was willing to grant him his wish.

“Don’t act so innocent, Kurusu,” Akechi said. “As if you didn’t deliberately stay late today, hoping to catch me. If anything, I think _you’re_ the one who likes this so much…”

They moved as if they were dancing, Akira bringing his free hand to Akechi’s waist while Akechi hesitated only briefly before placing his hand on Akira’s shoulder, and they swayed together until Akira had Akechi backed up against a desk. He lowered himself onto the desktop and Akira towered over him, snaking his hand farther around Akechi’s waist.

“I won’t deny it,” Akira said, and as he pulled Akechi into a kiss, his heart leapt in his chest; the novelty of kissing his senpai had not worn off yet, it would seem. He untangled their hands in favor carding his fingers through Akechi’s long, chestnut-brown hair, which fell so invitingly around his face, and the soft touch pulled a gasp from Akechi’s throat, causing him to part his lips just a bit and allowing Akira room to suck greedily on his lower lip.

His technique was a little sloppy, Akira decided, but it could have been from nerves, or perhaps inexperience, and heat surged through Akira’s body when he realized, belatedly, that he may well have been Akechi’s _first kiss_. He would need to interrogate Akechi about that later – when their mouths weren’t otherwise occupied – because that was information he absolutely needed to know.

It was so easy for Akira to lose himself in Akechi’s touch, in his scent, in the press of his body against Akira’s own, that he completely lost track of time. When Akechi himself pulled away, Akira finally opened his eyes again, and he was shocked to see how dark it had become: the sun had already dipped below the horizon. December afternoons were far too short.

“We can’t—we need to leave,” Akechi said, and Akira thought he almost sounded disappointed. “The school will be locked soon, and the longer we stay, the more likely we are to be caught…”

“Right,” Akira said, and he masked his own disappointment much better than Akechi did, with a smirk and a teasing tone of voice. “What would people say if they saw you with the likes of me, after all?”

“Precisely,” Akechi said, gathering up his schoolbag. He threw Akira a look from over his shoulder. “They might think you’re reforming, and you couldn’t have that, hm?”

The joke had been so unexpected that Akira couldn’t stop himself from laughing. They walked to back to the door side-by-side, and Akira waited as Akechi locked up the student council room. A quick glance down the hall told him that Ann and Ryuji – as well as those first-years – were long gone.

“Be safe on your way home, Kurusu-kun. And _do_ head straight home, would you?” Akechi asked, fixing him with a pointed stare.

Akira made a show of rolling his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, but Akechi was smiling at him, and Akira couldn’t keep himself from doing the same. “Take easy, senpai,” he said.

“And you as well, Kurusu.”

By the time he found Ann and Ryuji, who were lounging against the retaining wall just outside the school gates, Akira realized his heart was still racing.

 

* * *

 

“Ah, Kurusu-kun.”

The voice startled Akira from his half-stupor. He was out much earlier than usual, but Boss kicked him from Leblanc as soon as he was done with breakfast, so here he was. And here Goro Akechi was, too. Akira saw him at this stop very occasionally, so infrequently that he couldn’t know for sure what Akechi’s usual commute looked like.

“Akechi-senpai,” Akira replied, half slurring over the vowels in his sleepy state. It had been a few days since their last illicit meeting, so this was certainly a surprise, especially since Akira thought Akechi had been going out of his way to avoid Akira. Certainly, the way he flustered and turned his head when he passed Akira in the halls was a sign of _something._

“I’m glad I caught you,” Akechi said. “I wanted to ask if you’d accompany me somewhere.”

Woah. That was unexpected – Akechi approaching _him_ instead of the other way around. Suddenly, Akira wasn’t quite so tired anymore.

“Sure thing,” Akira said, standing up a little straighter. “Just tell me when.”

Akechi hummed and looked away. “I was thinking right now,” he said.

Akira thought he must have gone bug-eyed in that moment. “You want to ditch with me?” he asked, completely incredulous but still having enough sense to drop his voice to a whisper.

“Don’t be crass,” Akechi muttered, and Akira had to laugh at skipping school being called _crass_. “But yes. What do you say?”

“I say hell yes,” Akira said. “Shit. Absolutely. Ah…” he glanced down. “We need to change, though,” he added.

“Oh… yes, I suppose so. I hadn’t considered that,” Akechi said.

“Here, let’s go back to Yongen-Jaya real quick,” Akira said, taking a step back and gesturing for Akechi to follow. “I can change there, and… for you, I guess we can…”

“I have my work clothes with me,” Akechi said, tapping his backpack. “I just need a place to change.”

They hopped on the train back to Yongen-Jaya, eschewing conversation both due to the crowded train and the fact that Akechi seemed preoccupied with looking over his shoulder every few seconds, like he was afraid of getting caught. When they arrived at Leblanc, Akira didn’t go for the front door, but instead ducked into the alley beside the café. Akechi followed him with a confused expression on his face.

“Boss is working; I can’t let him see I’m ditching,” Akira offered as an explanation.

“Then what – K-Kurusu!” Akechi exclaimed as Akira hefted himself up onto the dumpster beside Leblanc. “What are you _doing?_ ”

Akira glanced back over his shoulder. “I’m climbing in through my window?”

“I can’t – just be safe,” Akechi said, turning around and covering his face with his hands.

Akira grinned and returned to his task. He always left his window unlocked for exactly this kind of reason. Some might have called that reckless, but luckily Yongen-Jaya was a quiet little place, mostly populated by older folks, not the kind of place where burglaries were rampant. Not that he would have anything worth stealing, anyway.

Even though it was a perfectly sunny day, the air was cold and crisp, so Akira threw on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved v-neck shirt, one he thought was particularly flattering to his figure… just because. Then he grabbed his jacket and slung it on overtop, depositing his backpack in a hidden spot under his desk and retrieving only his wallet.

Then it was time to hop back out the window, shut it carefully, and return to ground level.

When he returned to ground level, he found that Akechi was, to his surprise, already changed, and holding a half-eaten piece of bread in his hands.

“Did you change in the alley?” Akira asked, a wicked grin on his face. “That’s pretty kinky, senpai.”

Akechi nearly choked on the bread he was eating. “ _What,_ ” he said, his cheeks going red. “Of – of course not! I went inside.” He gestured to the café. “I ordered something to eat and asked the owner if I could use his restroom to change. He was very polite… he’s your caretaker?”

Akira never thought he’d see the day someone described Boss as “polite”, but Akechi was such a kiss-up to the faculty at school that he probably knew just how to charm someone like Sojiro, too.

“Yeah,” Akira said, shrugging. “I guess. Anyway, where to now? I assumed you had some destination in mind when you suggested this…”

“Oh… yes.” Akechi quickly popped the last bite of bread into his mouth and then gestured back towards the train station. “Let’s get going… do you know the best route to get to Akihabara from here?” he asked.

“You want to go to Akihabara?” Akira asked, tilting his head quizzically. “That’s why you wanted to skip?”

“Yes,” Akechi said, breezing past him down the road and forcing Akira to jog to catch up. “I have an errand I need to run, and I’d like you to accompany me.”

From the tone in Akechi’s voice, he wasn’t interested in elaborating, so Akira shrugged and led the way into the train station. They had to make a transfer, but after that, it was smooth travel to Akihabara, and the trains were much quieter now that the primary morning rush had died down. They were even able to hold a conversation, talking about silly things – food and school and what sort of books they were each reading – and Akira was surprised how easily he found himself talking to Akechi.

He’d always found Akechi attractive, ever since the first day he transferred, but when he found out the object of his infatuation was a member of the student council, he’d written Akechi off as an impossible dream. After all, Shujin had branded Akira a delinquent before he ever set foot inside the school - there was no way such a respectable student as Akechi would even give him the time of day. Now that they had this chance to talk outside the confines of the school, however, he realized they had more in common than he’d thought.

When they arrived at Akihabara, Akira followed Akechi down a few winding streets, until they reached a huge, fancy hobby store. Akechi hesitated only a second before stepping inside, Akira trailing just after him, handing back by the entrance and watching as Akechi made a beeline for the only employee in the shop, who was manning a cash register. When Akechi gave the employee his name, the man nodded once and ducked below the counter for a moment, reemerging with a small box. Akechi’s whole expression brightened at the sight, and one short transaction later, they were on their way back out, Akechi’s purchase in hand.

“I’d like to take this home now, if you don’t mind,” Akechi said quietly, once they were back on the street.

It would have been an understatement to say Akira was confused – not just about what they were doing, but about why Akechi had asked him to come along – but if he’d just heard right, and Akechi was inviting him to his apartment… well, he wasn’t going to do a thing to stop that.

“Sure,” Akira said.

They were back on the train for the second time in under an hour, this time headed to a small stop a little ways from Shibuya. It was quiet enough now that they’d managed to both get seats, and Akechi held his new purchase securely in his lap, smiling down at the item at they traveled.

“I’ve been watching this figure since it was first announced,” Akechi said, when he noticed Akira staring. “It’s my favorite character, you see, and by one of my favorite model-makers. I pre-ordered this item, but this particular store only allows for in-store pick-up.”

“So that’s why we came all the way out here,” Akira surmised.

“That’s correct,” Akechi said. He shifted around in his seat. “You may be wondering why I didn’t simply come pick it up by myself.”

“I mean, a little,” Akira said. “But it’s not every day the student council vice president asks you to ditch class with him… I wasn’t gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. You want me to come pick up your nerd thing with you? No problem, senpai.”

Akechi laughed. “This is exactly why. You… really don’t let anything trouble you, do you, Kurusu-kun?”

“I mean, I have troubles,” Akira mumbled. “Wait. Don’t tell me… were you embarrassed to be seen buying a Featherman figure? You were afraid someone would recognize you?”

“Well… it’s not exactly congruous with my usual public image, is it?” Akechi asked.

“Maybe not, but so what?

“I… listen,” Akechi said. “I realize it may not seem like much to you, but I… I don’t _do_ this kind of thing. If I were to go after school, the chances of running into someone from Shujin would be quite high… and I wasn’t sure I could do it alone.”

“…oh,” Akira said, softly.

“So, I appreciate it,” Akechi continued, looking out the window as he spoke. “For accompanying me, and for… not making fun of me.”

The subway train’s heater must have been set to full blast, given how hot around the collar Akira felt.

It didn’t take long to arrive at Akechi’s apartment complex. It was a place Akira would classify as middle-of-the-road in terms of quality – not shabby, but affordable. Akira tried not to seem like he was too obviously scoping out the place once they arrived, but he couldn’t help it; he was being given an intimate glimpse into Goro Akechi’s personal life that he didn’t think many others had seen.

“You live alone?” Akira asked. The apartment was small and very minimalist – empty, you could say.

“That’s right,” Akechi replied. He was in one of the back rooms, presumably his bedroom, and for all Akira’s shamelessness, he couldn’t bring himself to follow Akechi into his bedroom… not just yet.

“No pets?” he asked.

“The complex doesn’t allow them,” Akechi said. He had finished storing his figure now, and he returned to the main room, where Akira was standing and admiring his couch, which was much nicer than Akira’s own.

Akira hummed thoughtfully. “Must get lonely,” he mused aloud.

There was a much longer pause before Akechi replied this time.

“On occasion,” he said.

Akira took a step closer. The apartment was so small that it would only take either of them a few steps before they encountered a wall.

“What about right now?” he asked.

“How could I be lonely? I have such interesting company,” Akechi said. He had a playful tone of voice, and something about the look in his eyes was almost… beckoning.

Akira was helpless to avoid being drawn in.

The scene was reminiscent of their first encounter: Akechi backing up against a wall as Akira pressed forward, bringing a hand to Akechi’s cheek and just letting it rest there for a moment. Their faces were close enough together that Akira could feel Akechi’s breath on his lips, but Akira purposely kept himself just a few centimeters from actually touching. He could practically feel the electricity crackling between them…

Butterflies exploded in Akira’s stomach when Akechi closed the gap. He honestly hadn’t expected Akechi to initiate the kiss – his plan had been to tease him a little first, but this was so much better. Akechi was just _full_ of surprises today; Akira couldn’t wait to see how he’d surprise him next.

Their actions were far more overt now than they had been before; in the privacy of Akechi’s apartment, they had nothing to fear, and that made them both bold, lavishing each other with hot kisses while Akira couldn’t stop his hands from exploring, skating first over Akechi’s chest, his arms, and then daring to dip down even further.

Akechi let out an audible groan when Akira’s hand moved from his hip to grope his ass, his head falling back against the wall. Akira drank in the sight of him. He was so vulnerable right now, completely unlike the person he was at school – open-mouthed and panting, his cheeks stained red with excitement, he was absolutely _beautiful…_

“Fuck, I want you,” Akira murmured.

Instantly, he froze.

Now, Akira might not have looked like it, but he was a very calculated person, the kind that always considered his words thoughtfully, even when he was trying to come off as flippant. He did not simply blurt things out without thinking about them – that was more Ryuji’s turf. So for those words to spill out of his mouth right now…

For a moment, Akechi said nothing, simply staring Akira hard in the eyes like he was searching for something.

“So?” Akechi asked. “What’s stopping you?”

_Oh, fuck._

Their lips met again, but the kiss was harder this time, more urgent. Akechi’s hands found their way beneath Akira’s shirt, his fingertips mapping out the expanse of Akira’s stomach while Akira slid both his hands down to grab Akechi’s waist. Involuntarily, his hips snapped forward, just enough to feel… _fuck,_ to feel the bulge between Akechi’s legs press up against his own growing erection, to feel the sparks of pleasure that shot through his limbs at the touch. He was drunk on Akechi’s touch, his smell, on the sight of him writhing beneath Akira and silently begging for more…

Who knew how far they would have gone, had a shrill, harsh beeping sound not interrupted them.

“Shit… goddamnit,” Akechi muttered, detangling himself from Akira and retrieving his phone from his back pocket, silencing the alarm. Akira was partly disappointed and partly surprised at how hot it was to hear Akechi swear.

“What was that all about?” Akira asked.

“I… have to go to Shujin,” Akechi said.

“What, they called you?”

“No, I… I called in this morning and said I had to take a half-day due to work obligations…” Akechi admitted. “So I have to go back now.”

Akira had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing, and even then he couldn’t stop the grin from coming to his face. Oh, that was just too precious; he couldn’t even bring himself to skip properly.

As quick as it had disappeared, Akechi’s mask returned. He straightened his top and turned away from Akira, moving to retrieve his backpack. “I need to get going… I’m sorry.”

Akira snuck up behind Akechi and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Hey,” he said softly, close to Akechi’s ear. “It’s okay. But next time you want to do this, let me know ahead of time, okay? We can skip the whole day. I’ll take you to some of the places I like to go where I know I won’t get caught… we can get lunch… and maybe even come back here?”

He tried not to let his insecurity seep into his voice during that last question. He knew he had no reason to feel worried, not when Akechi had kissed _him_ , not when he’d felt the unmistakable sign that Akechi was enjoying himself just as much as Akira had been…

“Are you sure you want to show me your hideouts, Kurusu? I might turn you in,” Akechi said.

“Maybe. But I know you won’t,” Akira said.

“Oh? And what makes you so sure?”

“Because you like this just as much as I do,” Akira said. He brushed his lips along Akechi’s neck and felt the way he shivered.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Akechi admitted.

They returned to the train station together and said their goodbyes. As he was walking away, Akira chanced a look over his shoulder, and saw Akechi, smiling at the ground, curl tuft of hair behind his ear.

How was it possible for one person to be so cute?

It was nearing Shujin’s lunch hour, and as Akira sat on the train back to Yongen-Jaya, he was inundated with texts.

 **> >Ann:** Akiraaaa why didn’t you tell us you were gonna skip?  
**> >Ann:** I don’t have any tests today and I’m sooo bored  
**> >Ann:** >:(

 **> >Ryuji:** Yeah man

 **> >Akira:** Sorry guys  
**> >Akira:** It wasn’t exactly planned.  
**> >Akira:** Someone else asked me to ditch with them  
**> >Akira:** I was already at the station when it happened

 **> >Ryuji:** Oh yeah?

 **> >Akira:** Yeah  
**> >Akira:** You’ll never guess who tho

 **> >Ann:** Ooo oo! Who?

 **> >Akira:** Goro Akechi

 **> >Ryuji:** WHAT? No way man  
**> >Ryuji:** I call bullshit  
**> >Ryuji:** No way that guy would skip class  
**> >Ryuji:** He’d like  
**> >Ryuji:** probably  
**> >Ryuji:** spontaneously combust if he tried to break a rule

 **> >Akira:** It’s the truth, I’m telling you.

 **> >Ann:** what did he want to do??

 **> >Akira:** Well if you don’t believe me that it was him  
**> >Akira:** then you probably won’t believe that we went to his apartment and made out.

 **> >Ryuji:** what

 **> >Ann:** oh my GOD  
**> >Ann:** Akira  
**> >Ann:** if you’re fucking with us right now I stg

 **> >Akira:** :3c  
**> >Akira:** Anyway come meet me at the diner after school. I’m bored.  
**> >Akira:** he left to go back for a half-day if you can believe that

 **> >Ryuji:** I definitely can  
**> >Ryuji:** but yeah okay  
**> >Ryuji:** see you then

 

* * *

 

“Why’re you spending so much time with freaking _Akechi_ of all people?” Ryuji asked through a mouthful of steak.

After contemplating his question, Akira said, “He’s a good kisser.”

“Dude, I didn’t need to know that.”

Akira shrugged and stirred his fruit tea around. “You asked.”

“This… isn’t gonna interfere with our plan, is it?” Ann asked.

Akira frowned. “Of course not. Why would it?”

“’Cause he’s student council and a suck-up to the teachers, that’s why,” Ryuji said.

“Not just that. It’s just…” Ann twirled a piece of hair around her finger distractedly. “It’s hard not to catch feelings for someone when you’re doing that kind of thing, y’know?”

“It’s not like that,” Akira said. “We’re just fucking around.” Ann gave him a wildly skeptical look that pierced right through Akira’s core. He swallowed. “I mean it,” he repeated. “I don’t like him or anything. It’s just for fun.”

“If you say so. I just— oh fuck,” Ann hissed, ducking her head.

“What?”

“I think I just saw Niijima-senpai over there,” Ann said, nodding her head back towards the entrance to the diner.

It was a pretty shabby place, but the food was cheap and it was close to Shujin, which made the little diner popular with students. It was after school now, so it wasn’t as though they weren’t allowed to be here, but it was always nerve-wracking to have the student council president show up unannounced.

“Shit. Do you think she saw us?” Ryuji asked.

“N-no, I don’t think so. But we might wanna leave now anyway,” Ann said.

They paid for their food and left the diner, looking both ways before they stepped out into the street, but Makoto was nowhere to be seen. As they parted ways, Ann gave Akira one last, meaningful look, a look that clearly said: be careful about what you’re getting yourself into, and all the way home, Akira found himself thinking about Akechi. What exactly were they doing, anyway? All Akira had meant to do was keep Akechi from getting Ann or Ryuji in trouble… and here they were. Were they really just fucking around?

Somehow, the thought left a bad taste in his mouth.

**Author's Note:**

> this story got a little unwieldy, so I split it up into two parts - it will be concluded on Day 7. I hope you look forward to it!


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